Valve construction



Aug. 13, 1935. w. J. MASONE R VALVE CONSTRUCTION Filed June 29, 1934 GEE INSTRUCTION CARD FOR JI- L.

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Patented Aug. 13, 1935 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE 8 Claims.

This invention relates to a new and improved valve construction and more particularly to a valve construction particularly adapted to use in connection with gas heating burners or the like, and to a new and improved combination of the valve and burner lighting means.

In the use of gas burners for heating and for certain industrial purposes the use of the main burner is intermittent and a continuously burning pilot light is located adjacent the main burner. It is customary to control the main burner by a thermostatically or otherwise automatically operated valve which controls the flow of gas to the burner. It is also customary to provide a manually operable valve in the gas line to shut off the pilot light and also the flow of gas to the automatic valve and through that valve to the main burner.

In many cases, due to the construction of the furnace or heating plant in which the burner is installed, it is necessary to place the main burner and pilot light in a position which is not readily accessible for lighting purposes. In installing gas burners in domestic heating plants it is customary to insert the main burner in the ashpit and to replace the door to the ashpit with a fixed closure. The pilot light must be located adjacent the main burner and is not readily accessible for lighting through the fire door of the heating plant.

It is important that the pilot light be lit promptly after it is turned on and before any gas flows from the main burner. The gas and air form a highly explosive mixture in the firepot and ashpit of the heating plant or furnace and delayed ignition may cause a serious explosion. With usual types of installation, the automatic valve is relied upon to prevent flow of gas through the main burner, but an improper adjustment of the thermostat or its failure to act may prevent the automatic valve from functioning for this purpose. Instructions are usually given to light the pilot light by use of a long taper or by dropping into the furnace a lighted piece of paper. These lighting methods are awkward and uncertain. In the case of delayed ignition the gas from the pilot light alone may be sufiicient to cause a serious explosion.

It is an object of the present invention to provide a new and improved valve controlling a plurality of outlets.

It is a further object to provide a burner lighting system in combination with such valve or its equivalent.

It is also an object to provide a valve having safety devices thereon to reduce the dangers of improper operation thereof.

It is an additional object to provide a gas lighter in addition to the usual pilot light in combination with a gas burner.

It is a; further object to provide a valve with its movement positively stopped at a proper lighting position by a manually releasable looking device.

Other and further objects will appear as the description proceeds.

I have shown a preferred embodiment of my invention in the accompanying drawing, in which Figure 1 is a somewhat diagrammatic elevation, partly broken away, showing my improved valve and control system applied to a heating furnace, with the valve and adjacent pipe section shown on an enlarged scale for the sake of clearness;

Figure 2 is a side elevation of the valve on an enlarged scale;

Figure 3 is a view of Figure 2 as seen from the Figure 4 is a view of the construction of Figure 3 as seen from below;

Figures 5, 6 and 7 are sections taken on line 66 of Figure 2, with the valve in different positions.

Referring first to the assembly shown in Figure 1, the heating plant I I is shown, with a smoke pipe [2, the ashpit l3, and the fire door I. It will be understood that the control is independent of the particular form of heating plant, which may use steam, hot water or hot air as a heating medium, or the invention may be applied to industrial furnaces of various types.

The main burner is shown diagrammatically at l5, connected through passage IE to the gas pipe ll. Primary air for combustion may enter at I8 between pipe I! and passage IS. The gas pipe I1 is controlled by the automatic valve l9 which is shown connected through wires 20 and 2| to the thermostat 22. The details of the elements so far discussed form no part of the present invention. The burner may be of any suitable type and the air and gas mixing passages may be of any form desired. The automatic control valve l9 may be of any standard form, and the thermostat is also well known in the art and may be of any known form.

A gas pipe 23 leads to the valve housing 24 and the other side of the valve is connected to pipe 25 which communicates with a suitable gas main (not shown). The valve housing 24 contains a rotating plug 26 which has a squared upper end 21 by means of which the valve plug is turned by manual operation of the handle 28. The valve housing 24 has a lateral opening 29 which is connected by pipe 30 to a pilot burner 3 I. The housin 24 is provided with a second lateral opening 32 which is connected by pipe 33 with a springheld finger valve 34 adapted to be operated by the fingerpiece 35. This valve 34 communicates with the lighting jet burner 36.

The housing 24 is provided with spaced lugs 31 which carry the pivot pin 38 for the detent 39. This detent 39 is provided with the lug 40 which fits within a recess 4| formed in the operating handle 28. The detent 39 is provided with the fingerpiece 42 by means of which it may be rocked about the pivot 38, thus depressing the spring43 which is seated in a recess in the detent and engages the housing 24. The handle 28 has a lateral extension 44 which covers the fingerpiece 42. This extension 44 also extends beyond the lug 4|! on the detent to prevent its rocking movement with the handle in closed position. The recess 4| ends at a notch 45 beyond which is an arcuate guide surface 46 terminating in a stop lug 41. The connections to the bore of the valve and to the openings in the plug are shown in Figures 5, 6 and 7.

Figure 6 shows the valve in closed position. The intake pipe is closed off from the passage pipe 23 and also from the pilot light pipe and the lighter pipe 33. The plug 26 is provided with the transverse passage 48 and with the notch 49 formed in one side of the passage, as shown in Figure 6. This notch is on the level with the opening 29 leading to the pilot light pipe 30. The valve has two open positions. When the handle 28, as seen in Figure 3, is moved in the counterclockwisedirection, its movement is limited by the lug 40 engaging the shoulder 45. The position of the plug at this limit of movement is shown in Figure 5. As shown-by the arrows in the figure, the inlet pipe 25 communicates with the passage '48 in the plug and through that passage communicates with both pipes 30 and 33 connected to the lighter and the pilot flame. It will be noted, however, that in this position there is no communication with the discharge passage 23.

When the valve has reached this position the lateral extension 44 of the handle has uncovered the fingerpiece 42 of the detent 39. This detent may then be depressed so that the lug 4|) clears the shoulder 45 and the handle continues its counterclockwise movement until the detent 40 engages the stop lug 41. This brings the plug to the position shown in Figure 7. In this position the intake 25 is in communication with the outlet 23. The pipe 33 leading to the lighter is closed oil, but gas continues to flow from notch 49 to the pipe 30 leading to the pilot flame. Consequently in this position gas is free to fiow to the pilot flame and to the burner and this is the regular operating position of the valve.

In the operation of the valve in the combination shown in Figure l, the valve handle will be in the position shown in Figure 3 when there is no flame of any kind desired in the heating plant. When it is desired to light the plant the valve handle 28 is first moved to the limiting position with the stop lug 48 against the shoulder 45. It will be noted that there is a safety factor present since the valve cannot be accidentally swung the full way to bring the lug 40 against the stop lug 41. The fingerpiece 42 cannot be depressed at the start of the movement as it is covered by the extension 44. Thus there must be a definite intermediate stop in the opening movement. At thisintermediate position gas will be fiowing to the pilot burner 3| and also through the valve 34 to the jet lighter 36. This valve 34 will be of a standard type which is adjusted to permit a very small flow continuously to the nozzle 35. As soon then as the valve has reached this position the fire door I4 is opened and a match is placed adjacent the nozzle 36 which thus lights the very small amount of gas issuing at this point. As soon as this has been lit, the fingerpiece is depressed, which increases the flow of gas to nozzle 36 and causes ajet to extend down to and in line with the gas fie wing from the pilot burner 3|. The pilot flame may thus be lighted quickly and certainly, and without danger.

After the pilot light is burning the fingerpiece 42 is depressed and the handle swung counterclockwise to its full open position parallel to the line of the pipes 23 and 25, with the lug against the stop 4'1. This serves to cut off the flow of gas to the lighter jet 36 while it continues to permit gas to fiow to the pilot burner 3| in the main burner |5. It will be seen that this operation is entirely independent of the position which the automatic valve I!) may take due to its thermostatic control. Even if the valve I9 is open no gas can possibly flow to the main burner |5 until the proper sequences of operation have been carried out with the manual control valve. These sequences of operation are limited to a definite step which requires an extra manual operation so as to positively call the users attention to the necessity of lighting the pilot flame by means of the lighter jet at this point in the operation. The valve cannot accidentally be swung to such a position as to permit gas to flow to the main burner, but must have a definite secondary operation performed before it can reach this position.

It will be understood that my improved valve may be modified to meet varying requirements and conditions and that it may be used with various types of burners, pilot lights, lighting jets and lighting jet control valves. It is also suitable for use for any heating purposes where gas designed boilers or furnaces or where a gas burner may be used. I therefore contemplate such changes and modifications as come within the spirit and scope of the appended claims.

I claim:

1. In a valve construction, a valve housing, a primary inlet port, a primary discharge port, a pair of spaced secondary discharge ports, a rotatable plug in said housing, said plug having a passage therein and closing all discharge passages in one position, connecting the inlet passage with the two secondary discharge passages in a second position, connecting the inlet passage with one of the secondary discharge passages and the primary discharge port in a third position, a handle for operating the plug, and a manually releasable detent for stopping rotation of the handle at the second plug position, said 'plug and handle being freely rotatable save for said releasable stop at the second position when moving from the closed position.

2. In a valve construction, a valve housing, a primary inlet port, a primary discharge port, a pair of spaced secondary discharge ports, a rotatable plug in said housing, said plug having a passage therein and closing all discharge passages in one position, connecting the inlet passage with the two secondary discharge passages in a second position, connecting the inlet passage with one of the secondary discharge passages and the primary discharge port in a third position, a handle for operating the plug, a manually releasable detent for stopping rotation of the handle at the second plug position, and means movable with the handle for preventing release of the detent until the plug reaches the second position.

3. In a valve construction, a valve housing, a primary inlet port, a primary discharge port. a pair of spaced secondary discharge ports a rotatable plug in said housing, said plug having a passage therein and closing all discharge passages in one position, connecting the inlet passage with the two secondary discharge passages in a second position, connecting the inlet passage with one of the secondary discharge passages and the primary discharge port in a third position, a handle for operating the plug, a manually releasable detent for stopping rotation of the handle at the second plug position, means movable with the handle for preventing release of the detent until the plug reaches the'second position, and a fixed stop for stopping movement of the handle at the third plug position.

4. In combination, a main burner, a pilot burner, the pilot burner being positioned in lighting proximity to the main burner, and a lighter burner, the lighter burner being positioned in lighting proximity to the pilot burner, a valve having an inlet passage and three discharge passages, a separate one of the three passages being connected to a conduit extending from the valve to each burner, a movable member in the valve adapted to successively cut ofi all discharge passages, to jointly open the pilot burner and lighter burner, and to close the lighter burner passage and open the main burner passage while maintaining the pilot burner passage open.

5. In combination, a main burner, a pilot i burner, the pilot burner being positioned in lighting proximity to the main burner, and a lighter burner, the lighter burner being positioned in lighting proximity to the pilot burner, a valve having an inlet passage and three discharge passages, a separate one of the three passages being connected to a conduit extending from the valve to each burner, a movable member in the valve adapted to successively cut oil? all discharge passages, to jointly open the pilot burner and lighter burner, and to close the lighter burner passage and open the main burner passage while maintaining the pilot burner passage open, and a second valve controlling the discharge passage between the first valve and main burner, said second valve being thermostatically controlled.

6. In combination, a main burner, a pilot burner, the pilot burner being positioned in lighting proximity to the main burner, and a lighter burner, the lighter burner being positioned in lighting proximity to the pilot burner, a. valve having an inlet passage and three discharge passages, a separate one of the three passages being connected to a conduit extending from the valve to each burner, a movable member in the valve adapted to successively cut off all discharge passages, to jointly open the pilot burner and lighter burner, and to close the lighter burner passage and open the main burner passage while maintaining the pilot burner passage open, and a second valve controlling the discharge passage leading to the lighter burner, said second valve being manually controlled to vary flow to the lighter burner.

7. In combination, a main burner, a pilot burner, the pilot burner being positioned in lighting proximity to the main burner, and a lighter burner, the lighter burner being positioned in lighting proximity to the pilot burner, a valve having an inlet passage and three discharge passages, a separate one of the three passages being connected to a conduit extending from the valve to each burner, a movable member in the valve adapted to successively cut off all discharge passages, to jointly open the pilot burner and lighter burner, and to close the lighter burner passage and open the main burner passage while maintaining the pilot burner passage open, a second valve controlling the discharge passage between the first valve and main burner, said second valve being thermostatically controlled, and a second valve controlling the discharge passage leading to the lighter burner, said second valve being manually controlled to vary flow to the lighter burner.

8. In combination, a main burner, a pilot burner, the pilot burner being positioned in lighting proximity to the main burner, and a lighter burner, the lighter burner being positioned in lighting proximity to the pilot burner, a valve having an inlet passage and three discharge passages, a separate one of the three passages being connected to a conduit extending from the valve to each burner, a movable member in the valve adapted to successively cut off all discharge passages, to jointly open the pilot burner and lighter burner, and to close the lighter burner passage and open the main burner passage while maintaining the pilot burner passage open, and a releasable detent stopping movement of the valve when it reaches the position with pilot burner and lighter burner open in moving from the closed position, the valve being freely rotatable save for this releasable detent.

J. MASONER. 

